Tractor operated rake and stacker



April 3, 1945. c. o. MESSING 'TRACTOR OPERATED AND STACKER Filed Sept.27, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 April 3, 1945. c, Q ss 2,372,908

TRACTOR OPERATED RAKE AND STACKER Filed Sept. 27, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 220 .29 Egfi .2.

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I Patented Apr. 3, 1945 UNITED STATES] PATENT- OFFICE TRACTOR OPERATEDRAKE AND STACKER Clarence 0. Messing, Gilead, Nebr. ApplicationSeptember 27, 1944, Serial No. 556,075

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in farm rakes, theprincipal object being to provide a tractor operated rake which will notonly serve as a buck rake, but also as a stacker.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a, rake.attachment'for tractors which will be safe to operate and positiveacting and foolproof at all times.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a rakeattachment which also incorporates means whereby the rake is employed asa stacker, thus conserving considerable time and labor, inasmuch as haycan be collected directly from a windrow, moved to a collection pointand then placed upon a stack.

Other objects and advantages of the invention shall become apparent tothe reader of the following description.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view showing the bull rake in rakingposition in full lines and in broken lines the rake instacking position.

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the apparatus.

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view through the apparatus.

Figure 4 is a section taken substantially on line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the rake clevis andcushioning means.

Figure 6 is a section on 1ine6-6 of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary side elevation of the A control lever andshock absorber.

the same and at the upper end of this strap I2 is a pivotal clevis l3through which a pin I4 is slid-' able. The forward end of the pin has anut and washer I5, I6 and between the-washer and the clevis I3 andlocated on the pin I 4 is a coiled compression spring I l.

Between the uprights 6,6 is a bridge member I8 rising from this bridgemember I8 is a swingable stem I9 having a head at its upper end. A

ring 2! is vertically slidable on the stem l9 and,

of course, the stem I9 is rockable due to its pivotal connection to thebridge member I8. The

ring 2| is connected by a, cable- 22 to the pin I4 (see .Figures 1 and5) and is also connected by way of a cable 23 to a hook 24 engageablewith a, selected opening 25 in a pivotal lever 26, which lever ispivoted to the upper end of a supporting bar 21. An arm 28 extendsobliquely from the upper portion of the supporting bar 21 and has a,boss 29 under which the lever 26 can engage, A rod 30 having a head 3!and supported by a spring 32 acts as a shock absorber when the lever 26is released from under, the boss 29 and swings, under the weight of therake and the load thereon (when in elevated position).

. It will be observed that the forward ends of the beams 1 are pivotallyconnected, as at 33, to the rear portions of the rake 9 and that'therake 9 is held in proper position by the cables 22, 23 in its movementupwardly when being elevated to hay stacking position. A pivotedbifurcated plate 34, supported by a chain 35, acts as a guide for thecable 22 when the rake is in elevated position,

as shown in broken lines in Figure 1.

In order to elevate the rake, an elongated cable 36 is anchored, asat-31, and extends upwardly and over a pulley 38, one ofthese cables andpulleys beinglocated at each side of the tractor and for each beam 1.The cable 36 extends downwardly to pass under a corresponding pulley 39and from there rearwardly to a corresponding drum 40 on a power shaft4|. The power shaft 4| or one of the drums 40 is provided with a brakedrum 42 around which is disposed a contractible band 43 operated by alever 44. Extending forwardly from the lever 44 is a rod 45 extendingthrough a swiveled lug 46 on a hand lever 41. A coiled compressionspring 41 is interposed between the lug 46 and a stop 48 on the adjacentend of the rod 45. The hand lever "is mounted on apost 49 and on thispost are arms 50, 5| for limiting the downward movement of the handlever 41.

Obviously, by pushing the hand lever 41 forwardly, the rake band 43holds the shaft 4| against movement. Swung to the opposite or rearward.position, the lever 41 releases the brake band 43 so .that the beams Ican be raised or lowered. Further, this brake acts as a clutch so i thatthe brake can be clutched when it reaches I.

an elevated position, at which point it is desired to unload the rakewhen the proper height has been reached.

In order to dump the rake, the hand lever 26 is disengaged from the boss29 and thrown upwardly. The lever 26 will strike against the head 3| ofthe pin 30 and the shock will be absorbed by the spring 32, as thelength of the cable 23 i in.

claimed winch on the power shaft, :1 cable extending from the winch tothe beam structure for raising and lowering the'beam structure and rake,a yieldable member, a cable extending from the rake to the yieldabiemember, a second cable extending from the yieldable member to a controlpoint on the vehicle, a, pivotal hand lever, an off pivot pointconnection between the last mentioned cable and the lever, detent meansfor the lever, said yieldable member consisting of a pivotal stem, ahead on the stem, and a ring on the stem freely ridable on the stem andto which the cables are connected.

CLARENCE O. MESSING.

